Pencarrow: nothing to see, move along please.

[yorkie_pudd]

Mmmm  soldered fingers ouch but at least you would get the Tin man part in the wizard of Oz easy.

 

I Take my hat of too you as I couldn`t  do that no patience for it, although can spend all day stripping car, truck engines or PC`s - go figure

 

Once you`ve done the signal box for Ditd and BCB work, you will soon crack on with this and be amazed once completed. keep up the great work.

[Donw]

Shiny Sinks, Viakal and Cillit BAng have all been recomended to cleaning up before painting. An old toothbrsh (don't nick the wife's) can help getting into small spots. A final wash in thinners can also help. I would not try removing excess solder with a blowtorch you could so easily reduce it to component parts. I know Alan Brackenborough prefers builders to se a flux that doesn't leave any greasy residue if not cleaned off properly if can ruin the paint job.  

Don

[2ManySpams]

Shiny Sinks, Viakal and Cillit BAng have all been recomended to cleaning up before painting. An old toothbrsh (don't nick the wife's) can help getting into small spots. A final wash in thinners can also help. I would not try removing excess solder with a blowtorch you could so easily reduce it to component parts. I know Alan Brackenborough prefers builders to se a flux that doesn't leave any greasy residue if not cleaned off properly if can ruin the paint job.  

Don

 

Thanks Don for the advice, I'll probably have an experiment with some of your suggested (legal) substances on a bit of scrap first before trying it on the real thing but I guess (having looked at the next batch of instructions and parts that may be a while off yet.... 

[2ManySpams]

Mmmm  soldered fingers ouch but at least you would get the Tin man part in the wizard of Oz easy.

 

I Take my hat of too you as I couldn`t  do that no patience for it, although can spend all day stripping car, truck engines or PC`s - go figure

 

Once you`ve done the signal box for Ditd and BCB work, you will soon crack on with this and be amazed once completed. keep up the great work.

 

Cheers Ken, you never know I may surprise myself and end up with a running bogie. The fall back is always to buy a set of the plastic versions from Slaters! 

[2ManySpams]

I see you are using "safety flux" is this water soluble and non acidic?

 

Washing off with hot water and a non soapy cleaner should suffice just make sure you rinse an dry well before continuing.

 

If you wish to expand your tool kit further and expect to do more of this work I suggest you buy one of the small grit blasters from Eileen's or other similar suppliers.

 

Wally

 

Wally, I have absolutely no idea on the flux front but bought it a few years back as it was highly recommended by a fellow modeller. It doesn't seem to corrode the brass if not washed off immediately like the Carr's stuff though. 

 

I'm a bit worried where this brass kit building will end up... so far it's been suggested I buy a small blow torch and a grit blaster!!! 

 

First on the list though is something to make folding brass bits straight, true and without marking easier. My selection of pliers and a cheep nasty vice don't seem to cut it. Either that or it's me!!!

[2ManySpams]

I think I saw that Aldi have presently some mini blow torches for small soldering jobs.

 

Have you increased your house fire insurance ?

 

Eltel

 

I'm not sure that a blow torch in the same house as my 10 year-old son would be a good idea. You know what James is like!

[2ManySpams]

Brandy & a blowtorch.... something tells me that's probably not a good combination..... Oh, hang on, I've got this static caravan....

 

What could possibly go wrong....

[N15class]

I always use Viacal for final cleaning works very well. Most important thing is not to touch it again with bare fingers after cleaning. I always use surgical type gloves. I also have some brass rods with a 6 or 8BA thread in the end. I put a screw through a convienient hole and then thread the rod onto it, makes a good handle for holding whilst painting and can be stood in a hole drilled in a piece of wood, while it drys.

 

I always try to blacken the edges of the brass models where the paint may get chipped or handled, it aids the paint sticking and no nasty bright brass if there is an accident.

 

You can make models very well without the luxuries of blowtorches and sandblasters.

[2ManySpams]

I always use Viacal for final cleaning works very well. Most important thing is not to touch it again with bare fingers after cleaning. I always use surgical type gloves. I also have some brass rods with a 6 or 8BA thread in the end. I put a screw through a convienient hole and then thread the rod onto it, makes a good handle for holding whilst painting and can be stood in a hole drilled in a piece of wood, while it drys.

 

I always try to blacken the edges of the brass models where the paint may get chipped or handled, it aids the paint sticking and no nasty bright brass if there is an accident.

 

You can make models very well without the luxuries of blowtorches and sandblasters.

 

Some good tips there Peter - any more on folding long flat strips into long L section strips?

[Donw]

I find the Hold and fold is most useful for bending brass. However when I first started I got two pieces of ground steel stock (nice square edges and would clamp the brass between them. It is advisable to make the ned in one go bending a bit at a time causes distortion so for  long bend I clamped the brass and steel stock together then pressed it down onto a workbench to bend the brass. If you prefer to bend if a bit at a time in the vice do it in little steps i.e bend it bit by bit just a little then when the whole pice is done bend it a little more etc. etc. that way any distortion is minimal. I have heard of two bits of angle iron being used to clamp the brass.

The other thing I learnt later is to use something to score the brass using a straight edge keep scoring the brass until it is deep enought to bend fairly easy this tends to give a sharper bend. If you score through anywhere a touch of solder after bending should sort it out.

Of course if money is no object (or you are doing a lot there are bending bars or more fancy machines) you may also find there is no room for a layout as the workshop has eaten all the space.

Don

[ELTEL]

I'm not sure that a blow torch in the same house as my 10 year-old son would be a good idea. You know what James is like!

Good point!

[yorkie_pudd]

Cheers Ken,   you never know I may surprise myself    and end up with a running bogie. The fall back is always to buy a set of the plastic versions from Slaters! 

 

By the pics posted you already are Chris as with anything taking your time works best.

 

+ liquids & pasties to keep you going.

[2ManySpams]

 

There will now be a short break for a week or so while I see to other work, life and modelling commitments.....

[Stubby47]

Enjoy !

[Siberian Snooper]

To score the inside of a bend use an old stanley knife blade, after folding run a fillet of solder along the inside.

 

For other tips on brass bashing read some of Ozzy O threads.

 

SS

[wagonbasher]

So, you're learning Madonna's dances too... 

 

Looks like you're doing a good job there Chris    asbestos fingers are available, trouble is it takes many years and burns to earn them 

TV Chefs appear to have those asbestos fingers...

 

I don't !!

 

Andy

[2ManySpams]

Right, whilst I try and source windows for another project in 4mm, I'm back in the 7mm seat. 

 

More to follow....

[Stubby47]

If you do get 4mm brass windows, your experience here will either be invaluable, or put you off brass for life !

[2ManySpams]

Now then boys and girls, I said before one reason for starting on the bogies was to identify if the tools I had were sufficient. I discovered the hard way that some 'easy' tasks were taking me ages to do, such as bending and folding brass. 

 

Unfortunately last weekend saw me spend a considerable time exhibiting at a show only a short distance from the Hobby Holidays stand. As resistance was futile, the items below appear to have come home with me. Amazingly all came from a single stand and it would appear my shopping list for the Telford show has evaporated!

 

First off we have a 'hold and fold' - I've been looking at getting one of these for a while but thought I could cope without it. I've limited time for modelling and all the faffing with the brass bogie build made me decide a short cut here would be worthwhile. 

 

Next up, after the issues I'd had with using inappropriate substances to try and blacken brass, the following liquid was recommended and apparently it does the full range of modelling metals. 

 

And some different types of solder. Apparently the big roll I already have is 188, so two other types were bought.

 

I've been prattling on about compensating wagons for a while and thought this etch from Ambis was worth trying.

 

Then we have some replacement parts, again from Ambis, for some of the coarser brake gear bits in plastic kits. Worth a try?

 

A few little bits to replace the springs I've used for compensation experiments and some washers to pack out the slop in Parkside kits.

 

I must admit the following was an impulse buy. The figure reminded me of Johnie Gringo....

 

 

And finally a wagon kit off the pre-planned wants list.

 

That little lot should keep me out of trouble until Christmas!

[N15class]

It looks like you will have a few bits to do there, what length is your hold and fold?

 

Those ambis internal compensation etches look better than the ones from Gladiator. Do you get the bushes with them? If you don't mind what did they cost?

[2ManySpams]

I've been looking at the compensation units. They come with no instructions. Having built similar rocking units in 4mm I get the rough idea of how they work but have a few questions.

 

 

The section outlined in blue obviously rocks and carries the axle in bearings. To me it looks like everything folds up and if you want the item to rock then the bits that fold out below the base need trimming off. 

 

The section outlined in red looks like the cradle that fixes to the wagon and is used to pivot the blue section.

 

What I'm confused about is the section outlined in green. Why does one side have two extra holes and an additional bit to fold up???

 

Any help appreciated.

[2ManySpams]

It looks like you will have a few bits to do there, what length is your hold and fold?

 

Those ambis internal compensation etches look better than the ones from Gladiator. Do you get the bushes with them? If you don't mind what did they cost?

 

It's the 5 1/2" version - I wasn't sure which one to get but that one seemed to be the right mix of usefulness vs cost. I'm sure time will prove otherwise!

 

From memory the compensation units were about £5 a pack. Everything you get is in the photo - I can't see any extra bushes?

[daifly]

Those Ambis internal compensation etches look better than the ones from Gladiator. ....... If you don't mind what did they cost?

From the Hobby Holidays website:

http://www.hobbyholidays.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=AMBISIWON

[2ManySpams]

From the Hobby Holidays website:

http://www.hobbyholidays.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=AMBISIWON

 

£4.80, not far from the £5.00 I remembered!

 

Thanks for the link - I thought I'd be in luck with instructions but can't see the IWON ref in the list: http://www.hobbyholidays.co.uk/ambis.php

[gwrrob]

A Great Western wagon kit purchased. You kept that quiet.